Deskor Academy
by Jaxrond
Summary: On a continent far away from the known world of Remnant, six nations coexist in harmony, each representing a different aspect. Lumiere represents aura; Aquilla, ice; Pyre, fire; Verderon, earth; and Helium, air. At the center of the continent, surrounded by the five, is the governing nation Haldis. From all six nations, students gather in one place to train to Hunt: Deskor Academy
1. The Beginning

**Thanks to a friend of mine (who is also my Beta reader) for letting me use the world of Deskor, which she created for the roleplay this fic is based in. And also to another friend who was a bit more characters of this plotline will mostly be my own originals with one of hers in the mix and the characters of some of our roleplaying fellows making small appearances. I own nothing to do with RWBY. Also, this is a bit of a side-project for me as I am in college and am working on other things.**

**As always with my fics, I hope you enjoy reading! **

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><p>A figure stood on the docks, awaiting the airship, away from the others of the public pickup point. They were all waiting on one ship in particular; the ship that would carry them to their futures. While the other seventeen year olds had found friends to talk to or stood only a little ways from other potential students, this lone figure had moved as far as was humanly possible from the others. The girl, for it was a girl, as seen on close inspection, had her hands shoved into the front pockets of her zipped up black jacket. The hood was pulled far enough over her head that her face was hidden and only two trails of crimson curls were visible, drifting from the shadows of the hood to drape over the slight lift of her chest. Smooth black pants covered her long legs and gave way to equally black combat boots. A blue wire emerged from her front pocket and ran up into the shadows over her face, splitting in two along the way to divide to either side of her head. She was still, paying no mind to anyone. A number of bags were piled next to her, not as many as some had, but not as few either. She had travelled from Aquilla to reach this point, the pickup for Deskor Academy in Helium.<p>

Standing with the main group, was another noticeable figure. The boy stood head and shoulders over everyone else, messy blonde hair spiking up naturally. He was smiling, the expression sitting well on his face and obviously worn often. He was broad to match his height. A black trench coat stretched over his wide shoulders, underneath which was a red button up shirt. Matching red pants were tucked into his tall black boots. Just one rather large bag was slung over his shoulder. A double-bladed axe of epic proportions hung across his back, a large weapon for a large man. The smile on his face offset his blue eyes offset his formidable size and appearance. He looked more interested in striking up a conversation than hitting anyone with the colossal weapon on his back.

Another boy stood next to him, much smaller in stature. Though he was of average height and not overly slender, his companion dwarfed him. However, he did not seem to be paying his any mind. He was imposing in his own way, carrying a presence that seemed to ooze from him. His face stoic, he raised one pale, slender hand to adjust the square rimmed glasses over his grey eyes. The lenses flashed. His shaggy black hair hung around his ears and into his face, bangs falling between and on either side of his eyes. Thin lips pressed into a very slight line, he returned his hand to the pocket of his dress coat. A metal cuff glinted on his wrist, surprising for a boy who seemed so unlikely to be wearing jewelry. His grey eyes scanned the small crowd of students, coldly calculating. Neither he nor the boy next to him spoke, but their proximity made it apparent that they at least knew each other well enough to stand so close.

Together, the young people stood, waiting. The airship appeared on the horizon and within a matter of minutes was pulling up to the docks. It settled with a number of mechanic noises. Then, with a hiss, the doors opened and the docking ramp extended. As one, much like a flock of farmyard animals, the gathered students began to dock, chattering excitedly.

The lone figure, still maintaining her distance from the others, was the last to board.

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><p>Jax gave a languorous stretch, uncurling from the armchair she had been curled up in, napping. Pointed wolf ears laid back against her head as she yawned wide, displaying sharp canines and a pink tongue. She scratched behind one of the black ears, blinking blearily. She never had been very good at waking up. She slowly climbed out of the chair and onto her feet, stretching again. She slung her weapon, a slender sniper rifle across her back. A few people watched her amusedly as she ignored them, gathering up her bags, two rather ragged satchels. She began to wander away from the chair, which was set in a room with others like it, not bothering to fix her wrinkled clothes. Her eyes, the startling dark, crystalline pink of a gemstone, watched everyone around her with a detached sort of interest. Her lavender hair was pulled up into a black tie, leaving two long strands to fall onto her shoulders and her bangs to cover her forehead. As she left the room, Jax's ears twitched and swiveled on top of her head, picking up a shriek of laughter here and a muttered comment there, her animalistic hearing lending to her silent observance.<p>

The hall of the rather luxurious ship was somewhat crowded as this was the ship returning to the final destination of Deskor. It had picked up everyone who had traveled to a certain set of pickup points. This meant that those on board came from a number of different places, Helium, Aquilla, Pyre were among the territories represented. Jax herself was from a city on the north eastern border of Helium, near Pyre. The slums of the city of Monos were densely populated by Faunus. While Jax's family, consisting of herself, her mother, and her grandmother, lived on the higher end, they had still been within the slums and life had been difficult. To be a huntress was a very heroic goal for a street rat like herself, and the day her acceptance letter from Deskor arrived was one of the happiest days of her life. Her lips curved in a smile, remembering the pride her mother and grandmother had expressed. She would rise above the life fate had dealt her.

Her thoughts were suddenly halted by a sneering tone off to her right.

"You mean they really do let Faunus into this school? How unfortunate."

Jax stopped, eyes narrowing slightly, ears tilting back. She looked in the direction of the voice to see a group of three girls her age eyeing her with distaste. She was used to prejudice. She had attended a combat school before being accepted into Deskor. However, having grown up in the slums with other Faunus, she was never willing to take an insult laying down, whether it be aimed at herself or a friend. These three were classic female bullies. All bark and no bite, thinking they were too good for everyone else and seeking to raise their own standing by climbing over those in their way, particularly Faunus. The speaker's nose wrinkled further at the sight of the wolf ears that swiveled towards her. Jax put on a sweet smile, baring her canines.

"You mean they really let pompous brats like you into this school? How unfortunate," she mimicked.

The speaker's eyes flashed and her two friends let out small, offended noises. Jax fought the urge to roll her eyes. The speaker stepped forward in challenge then, blonde hair arranged impeccably around her made up face.

_Oh, you've _got _to be kidding me. This brat wants to hunt Grimm? She'd cry if she broke a nail._

"Listen, _pup_," the blonde's sneer ruined whatever faux beauty she'd had, "What makes you think you can talk back to me?"

Jax was a small girl by nature. She was only five feet and five inches tall, and had a very slight figure, mostly from malnourishment as a child. However, despite being a few inches shorter than the blonde, she matched her stare with a calm disdain.

"Oh, I don't know," she replied insolently, "What makes you think you're better than me?"

The girl scoffed, apparently in disbelief that a Faunus would sass her not only once but twice. The others around them were watching with interest, drawn by the budding argument.

"I'm _human_. And you're a filthy mutt," she glanced at Jax's wolf ears, which had laid back dangerously on her purple hair, "Shouldn't you be out stealing Dust or something?" she looked down at her ragged duffle bags, "You certainly don't belong at a prestigious school like this."

Jax's pink eyes sparked. Normally, she didn't allow this sort of thing to bother her. However, she had just woken up and this girl was ruining her good mood.

"You know, you've got an attitude that pisses me off. It's little snot noses like you that don't belong here," she said, voice still calmly mocking, "Shouldn't you be home playing with dolls? Leave the monster hunting to the big girls."

The blonde drew herself up, enraged. Jax's hand tensed, ready to clench into a well-formed fist if need be.

A large, gloved hand clapped down on Jax's shoulder suddenly. She nearly buckled under the sudden blow. The strength behind the large hand was crushing to someone as slight as her. Jax slowly looked back, wondering if the blonde had a very large boyfriend who had decided to step in and defend his girlfriend.

Instead of an angry jock with a stupid scowl, however, she found herself looking at the smiling face of a large, blonde boy. Despite his size, which was formidable, his blue eyes were soft and friendly. Upon meeting her eyes, his smile widened beneath his spiking blonde hair.

"Hey. These guys bothering you?" he asked.

Jax blinked slowly in shock. The question was aimed at her. He wanted to know if these human girls were the ones bothering _her_. This had never happened to her before. A human boy had never stepped in to defend her. She stared at him.

Taking her silence as an affirmative answer, the boy raised his eyes to the blonde girl and her two friends, his smile fading. Jax looked back to see the two friends muttering to each other quickly. The blonde's face was in high color.

"Are _we_ bothering _her_?" her voice had risen an octave in outrage, "Shouldn't it be the other way around? This mutt-"

"Isn't the one who started this," the boy's previously friendly voice was hard, "I heard everything from where I was standing, and she was minding her own business when you started in," he squeezed Jax's shoulder gently, "I really hate it when people pull this kind of discriminatory crap."

The blonde spluttered angrily. She knew she could not stand against two on a united front. After a moment, she threw her shoulders back and marched away, leaving the other two to follow.

There was a long pause. Then, Jax looked back at the boy. He was looking after the three with a distasteful expression. Feeling her gaze, he looked back at her. His smile returned.

"You alright?"

Jax nodded slowly, warily.

"Thanks."

He patted her shoulder before finally removing his hand.

"No problem. They were pissing me off too, picking one someone like that," he gave a slight shrug of his broad shoulders.

Jax turned fully to look at him. He towered over her by a foot at least and dwarfed her by his sheer mass. She was questioning his motives in saving her. He was human, and she had been in too many nasty situations to trust that he was as innocently chivalrous as he seemed.

He suddenly stuck out one large hand, grinning away once more.

"I'm Xanthus, by the way. Xanthus Gold."

Jax hesitantly placed her hand in his. It was practically swallowed by his glove as soon as his fingers closed around it, as his was so much larger than hers.

"Jax Fenris," she replied as he shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Jax."

His blue eyes sparkled with a contagious inner light. Jax was surprised. It seemed he really was just that innocently chivalrous. She found herself smiling back

"You too."

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><p>Ari's eyes scanned the room, coldly blue in the shadows of her hood. The airship was surprisingly luxurious. It was built for travel over long distances with the comfort of the passengers as top priority, and included a small cafeteria area. Ten to fifteen circular tables were spread throughout the room, each seating four or five people. Many of them were full. Ari had snatched a plate of food from the bar at the front of the room, as she had gone without a proper meal for some time. She had spent the whole of the previous day travelling to the pickup point and had eaten only the food she had packed to take with her. Mostly small, packaged things. The day before that, she had eaten very little as she had been packing in order to leave her hell-hole of a home. Needless to say, she was rather hungry for real food.<p>

Her eyes dropped to her plate, held in one hand. She could not remember the last time she'd had a proper meal that she hadn't had to cook for herself. Her mother, a quiet, reclusive woman, had succumbed to chronic depression and rarely emerged from her bedroom. Her father….she did not want to think about her father. He did not deserve the title of 'father'.

She looked around again, tugging her hood down. Her red hair spilled freely about her face, shimmering vibrantly in the lights. It seemed there were no empty tables. As a rule, she avoided social contact as much as possible. However, seeing as this would be impossible, she went for the next best thing, looking for a table with only one or two people sitting at it.

Her gaze came to rest on a table in the back corner. There was only one person sitting there. A man. He did not look like a student, at least, he seemed older than the others here. His features were sharp and his dark eyes naturally narrow. His jet black hair was pulled back in a tail, save for a few locks that hung about his face. There was an air of regality about him, in the easy way he sat, book in hand. He was a beautiful man. However, Ari did not linger on his looks. She simply wondered if he would bother her if she sat at the table with him.

She decided to chance it. She weaved between the other tables, where students sat, chattering. As she neared the table, the man's eyes flickered up from his book to look at her. His expression did not change, but his dark eyes showed bemusement. Without a word, she slid into one of the empty seats furthest from him. He looked at her for a brief moment before returning his eyes to the book in his hands.

Content that he seemed more interested in the book than in pestering her, she proceeded to pull off the fingerless gloves that had previously covered her hands. The removal of the gloves displayed the tattoos on the backs of her hands. Identical snowflakes were inked onto her pale skin, both the cold white blue of ice. The intricacy of the tattoos bespoke of painstaking artistry. The snowflakes stretched over the entire backs of her hands, from the first joints of her middle fingers to her wrists and from one side of her hand to the other. This particular design was the emblem of the Fairchild family. Her family. A line of Hunters. Her great grandfather and grandfather had borne it proudly. As had her father before he took his fall from grace. Then…her brother. Linus.

Ari cut off that painful line of thought and began to eat, the speed at which she did so betraying her hunger. She kept her gaze focused on the window, set on ignoring the man completely. Out of the corner of her eye, however, she saw the man glance up again, a small smile tugging at his mouth. He seemed amused by her coldness. He watched her for a moment, making her uncomfortable. Then, as she lowered her fork back to the plate, he spoke.

"Those are unique," his voice was smooth, melodic, "A family emblem, I assume?"

He did not speak loudly, but his voice carried a certain authority that made it easily discernable over the background noise of the others in the room. She knew immediately that he was talking about the tattoos.

"The Fairchild emblem," she replied in a monotone.

If he knew his history, he would recognize the name. While hers was not one of the major Hunter families, the name was still known. After all, her father had been successful before his madness set in. The man gave no signs of recognition aside from a brief flicker in his eyes. Not that Ari cared either way. Despite her desire to become a huntress, she did not care for her name. It was something handed down from her bastard of a father. Still, lying was not something she cared to do, and she had a feeling the man would recognize them if he truly cared to look. The last time she had been dishonest was when she was a child. In return, Linus had put soap in her mouth, scolding her and telling her that lying was dishonorable, no matter the situation. Now, for his sake, and for the sake of her own honor, she would not lie.

The man watched her face with a surprisingly penetrating gaze, causing her to look away and take another bite of her food.

"A name can be quite a weighty thing, don't you agree?" he asked in that same melodic tone.

Ari shrugged. She found that giving one-word answers or shrugging their words off usually made others leave her be. The cold shoulder was a practiced skill. She did not want anyone to get close to her. She had no desire for friends. Friends were a liability and a weakness. Allies were a tactical advantage, but when they became too close, there was far too great a chance of losing them. She refused to be lost in her own despair and loss ever again.

However, internally, she agreed with the man. Names were weighty indeed. Her father had dragged theirs through the mud with his fall to madness, causing it to be weighted with dishonor. After Linus's, disappearance her own name had been whispered with undercurrents of pity. Her brother was the one who had redeemed their family and the emblem that she wore now. He was the reason she had chosen to have it inked into her flesh.

She pushed her long red hair over her shoulder and glanced at the man again, her eyes cold like frost itself. He met her gaze unflinchingly, his book lying on the table before him. He was beginning to unnerve her. He was not perturbed by her coldness. Usually, people were all too happy to give up and leave her be when faced with her iciness. He just kept looking at her with those dark eyes, though, like she was a puzzle he was trying to riddle out. She looked at him for a moment then turned her attention back to her plate. She hoped he was not a teacher. If he was, he would be hard to avoid, something she was intent on doing. She disliked the interest in his gaze. For her, interest was dangerous and unwanted.

His lips quirked, unnoticed by her. She had most definitely caught his interest, this girl with her eyes that glared daggers of ice. She was coldly beautiful, her frosty personality at odds with the fiery color of her hair. A conundrum in her brooding, antisocial demeanor. He studied her for a moment more before returning his attention to his book.

Ari continued to steadfastly try and ignore him. Perhaps, she thought, his interest was a misconception on her part. Perhaps he would leave her be. She picked at her food with less enthusiasm than before. She had worked hard to build this cold front, her defense against the world and everyone in it. She refused to let others close, to let them see into her life or what made her who she was. Not after Linus… Layers of ice around a bleeding heart, she had always imagined. Impenetrable. She kept everyone at an arm's length, lest they try to break through her defenses. Try to get close to her. She could not allow that. She never wanted to suffer the pain of loss again. Better to be alone, than to lose those dearest to you. It was cruel, simple logic. She could not be hurt by the deaths of those closest to her if no one was close.

This man's penetrating gaze threatened her because of this. If he truly had taken interest in her, he may attempt to break the walls she had erected. She could not allow that.

Ari glanced at him to find him reading again.

She would have to be wary of this man.


	2. Deskor

**I do apologize for any seemingly random transitioning. I assure you, this is the only chapter it will occur in. Thanks once again to a friend who took the time to read and help me revise this. Monty owns RWBY, a friend created Deskor and the nations in the story as well as 'the vexing man', and I created the other characters. With that out of the way, please, R&R!**

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><p>Ana stepped down from the private airship that had brought her to Deskor. Fortunately, she had arrived before the majority of the students. She gave a sigh of relief. It may cause prejudice against her if they realized who she was before school had started. It had happened before. Her family name loomed over her like a shadow, a pre-assigned label that others read before they got to know her. She was written off as a rich brat with no mind of her own. After all, what else could the daughter of Sir Nicholas Vasilisa II, owner and chairman of The Imperial Dust Corporation, possibly be?<p>

She was proud of her family name, despite the misconceptions and labels that often accompanied it. It was a good one. Her father was known for his fair trade and employee payment policies. He was a famed proponent of equality between humans and Faunus. He often donated large sums of money to the building of hospitals, centers for the homeless, and other humanitarian projects. Sir Nicholas Vasilisa was the face of many economic outreach programs, and he did very well in his position. He truly had a heart for those of a lower station. Recently, he had bought out another, smaller, Dust company and its mines in order to create more fair employment opportunities for those who needed them. Her father was a hero. However, he was also very successful and wealthy, which automatically drew the distaste of those of lower class.

Though Sir Nicholas had not been one to spoil his family by spending exorbitant amounts of money, Ana had most definitely lived in comfort. Although she would not inherit the Corporation, that honor belonged to her elder brother, she had been trained by an array of tutors. She had learned about dust and its properties, the inner workings of business, and the art of politics. The more naturally gifted and charismatic of the Vasilisa siblings, Ana caught on to her lessons quickly and was a fast learner. She became very adept at assisting her father in negotiating business deals when attending soirees and business parties with him and her brother, Nicholai. However, instead of moving on to study under her father in how to run the Imperial Dust Corporation itself, as her brother was doing, Ana had shifted the focus of her studies to the fundamentals and usages of the dust itself. During her research, she learned more about the profession of Hunting. Being of the same kind disposition and caring nature as her famous father, Ana decided that, rather than serve as the contingency plan for her brother, she would pursue the career path of a Huntress. It was, in her mind, the best way she could serve her fellows, human and faunus alike.

Her father had opposed the idea vehemently. She was his only daughter, and still fifteen at the time. He wanted her to settle down with a son of one of his business associates and raise children, tucked away from the Grimm and from the majority of society. She should, he had said, continue her studies in that field of business, safely out of danger. Nicholai had taken her side. He argued that, if Ana would never take ownership of the company, she should be free to pursue her own dream. Nicholai's charm laid in his friendly smiles and persuasive voice. He also knew how to make almost any suggestion sound reasonable. When pairing this with Ana's calm reasoning and quiet charisma, the two formed a front that most could not stand against. The Vasilisa siblings had done much work together for the good of the company, striking deals with the most shrewd of businessmen. Eventually, listening to their combined arguments, their father had agreed.

For three years, Ana had trained rigorously, attempting to catch up with her peers, who had already been through combat school. Her father had called in favors and hired tutors to teach her combat, weaponry, aura, and lore. She had learned quickly, but not quickly enough to ready herself by age seventeen. As it was, she had enrolled a Deskor a year late. She was eighteen now, a year older than her classmates.

She glanced back as the Vasilisa family butler, Reginald Romanov, rolled her luggage cart down the ramp. The fuanus man had watched her grow up, and had been a constant presence in her life. He was like some sort of great uncle who had taken work within the Vasilisa home, as much a family member as any of the other permanent staff. Reginald, fondly called 'Reggie' by her father, was a smart looking man in his fifties. Dressed in a black suit, white gloves, and polished black shoes, he certainly looked his part. His eyes were stern, though there were more laugh lines on his face than anything else. His half-moon spectacles glinted as he came to a halt beside Ana. A light breeze ruffled his feather-like white hair. The owl faunus had always had that same white feathery hair, even when he had been a much younger man. His birdlike, amber eyes observed Ana shrewdly for a moment.

"Something is troubling you, Miss Ana."

Ana almost smiled. It was not a question. Reginald knew her well enough to discern what she was feeling, even when she was wearing a politely blank expression.

"I'm afraid that I won't be well-liked."

The butler nodded slowly, unblinking.

"I see. You perceive too many obstacles standing between yourself and your fellows."

Ana sighed, then made a small sound of affirmation. She was a year older, she was the daughter of a rich Dust Corporation owner, and she had been trained in a different manner than her classmates. She was also of a rather quiet disposition, despite being trained to deal with people. It was easy to put on a front for a few hours. However, she did not think trained diplomacy would work here.

Reginald gave a small 'hmph' and took off his glasses to polish them on a handkerchief.

"I would suggest, Miss Ana, that you be yourself and stop worrying."

Ana looked up at him, surprised. The butler continued in his smoothly accented voice, replacing his glasses and tucking the kerchief back into his suit pocket.

"You are a wonderful girl and worthwhile friend. I, of course, am quite biased. However, if these other children cannot accept that, despite your differences, then they do not deserve to know you," his lips curved upward, deepening the wrinkles in his face, "Now, wipe away that frown. It doesn't suit you."

Ana smiled then, eyes watering slightly. She was glad that Reginald had decided to come with her personally when her father and brother had been unable to. His familiar voice and calming presence were just what she needed before beginning something that was so unknown and frightening.

"Thank you, Reginald. You always know just what to say."

The butler gave a small chuckle that was very similar to a sound an owl might make.

"I have assisted in your upbringing since your birth, Miss Ana. I should hope that, in all that time, I would have learned how to alleviate your fears," he placed one gloved hand into his inner pocket, "Ah, that reminds me. I have something for you."

Ana felt her curiosity rise. Upon her departure, her father had gifted her with a cuff that, when activated, took the form of a large battle shield. Her brother had given her a case containing a dust mixture that he had been working on for some time. It was a variation of the more common ice dust, he had said, a water-orientated dust that was easier to control than the more volatile water dust found in the mines. She wondered what Reginald could be giving her.

"The staff and I felt that, as you would no longer be in our care, we should give you something to keep us close, even when we cannot truly be with you."

From within his suit coat, he produced a small jewelry box. He presented it to her and flipped it open. Within the box, nestled in the soft lining, was a pendent. It was a rather ornate gold oval, a locket, if the hinge on the side was anything to go by. She suspected, from the small size of the pendent, that it was one of the newer creations that presented its contents holographically. The staff must have been putting money aside for months in order to build a fund for this. Even with their rather nice salaries, something like this cost more than most were willing to pay.

"We took the liberty of placing a few photos into its memory. If I remember correctly, they include your brother, father, mother, and the staff."

He held the box out to her. Ana took it with trembling hands, overcome by emotion.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Reginald nodded smartly.

"I shall convey your gratitude to the staff. I'm sure they will be most pleased to know that you like it."

Ana looked up, smiling and holding back tears. It was as perfect a send-off as could be had. Reginald caught the watery look in her eye and tutted.

"Now, now, Miss Ana. There is hardly a reason for tears. Dry those eyes, chin up. There's a good girl."

Ana did as he said, drying her misty eyes and standing upright. Despite the fact that he cared for her, Reginald was always professional if nothing else. Still, Ana knew that he loved her as family would, despite the racial and class barriers. Out of all the staff, he was the one she would miss the most. She very much wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him before bidding him farewell. However, she had long since outgrown the age during which this was an appropriate behavior.

The butler withdrew a pocket watch from within a lower pocket of his suit coat. With a practiced flip of his wrist, he opened the watch and glanced briefly at the hands on the clock face. Then, he closed the watch and returned it to his pocket.

"I do apologize, Miss Ana, but I must be going. The estate will not manage itself," he paused, "Will you be able to take care of your luggage from this point forward?"

Ana nodded quickly. Despite her own lingering fears, she did not want to give Reginald a reason to worry. She would do her best to be as self-sufficient as possible while at Deskor. In response to this, the butler gave her a small, fond smile. Gently, he took her hand in his gloved one.

"You will do well here, Miss Ana. I have faith in you."

Ana looked up at him, feeling her eyes mist again. She wondered how she would survive without him, always knowing what to say and do, or Nicholai, with his silver tongue and ability to turn the cloudiest days to fun. She cleared her throat, forcing the tears back.

"Thank you, Reginald."

Reginald wrapped her fingers around the bar of the luggage cart, covering her hand with his own. There was a moment of silence. Then, he patted her hand and released her. With a sweep of his coattails, he stepped back and bent into a bow.

"Farewell, Miss Ana. Until we meet again."

Ana gave a small curtsey in return, not removing her hand from the bar.

"Farewell, Reginald."

With that, butler and heiress were separated, each going their own way.

* * *

><p>Jax whistled merrily as she stepped off the airship. The metal behemoth had come to a stop at the dock of Deskor Academy. The academy itself had been visible for the last twenty minutes of the flight, first as a speck on the horizon. Then, it had come fully into view , a stone mass of parapets, spires, arches, and towers, framed by the sun as it began to set. Jax, a girl from the slums, had been entranced by the appearance of the castle, having only ever seen the more modern buildings within her home city. Deskor was imposing, elegant, and timeless, like something out of a book. Xanthus had not been quite as awed. While he was impressed, his thoughts were firmly placed on what the instructors of this school could teach him, not the fine architecture. Xanthus' friend, Ash, whom Jax had been introduced to, had not even looked up from his book. Indeed, he had hardly looked up from it during the entirety of the flight. Xanthus had assured her that it was nothing personal. Ash was just…Ash.<p>

Fortunately, despite Ash's antisocial behavior, Xanthus had quickly shown interest in making friends. Jax had not minded in the least. It was rare that anyone displayed interest in befriending her, the Faunus from the slums. However, she was wary. It was a force of habit. She had been around too many people who wanted to take advantage of her to trust easily.

The Faunus girl walked along the path towards the castle, amethyst eyes trailing over the building in admiration. It was even more beautiful up close. She wanted to run ahead of the group and explore. However, as they approached the main doors of the castle, she found them closed, the students forming a crowd before them. Being small, Jax could not see above the heads of the students to understand what was going on. All she could see was that the colossal doors were shut. She looked up at Xanthus in annoyance, as he was standing next to her, Ash on his other side. With one small, pale hand, she tugged on the large boy's sleeve.

"What's going on?"

Xanthus was tall enough to see over the heads of the crowd if he stretched up a bit, standing head and shoulders over a good number of them. He frowned lightly.

"There's a man standing on the steps…Looks like he's getting ready to speak."

It was only a few minutes later that Xanthus's prediction came true. The students hushed as the man held up a hand, whether in greeting or to create this effect, no one was sure. Then, when silence fell, he began to speak in a loud voice that carried over the assembly.

"Welcome, students, to Deskor. I am Headmaster Trace Council. I thought it appropriate that I greet you all upon your arrival to Deskor. As I am sure that you are all eager to find rest as evening approaches, I keep this short. Upperclassmen, I should hope you are already aware of the policies and regulations of the school, and may proceed to your dormitories once the doors open. Freshmen, please, follow me."

* * *

><p>At the back of the crowd, still wearing her black sweatshirt, Ari listened expressionlessly. Fortunately, the man she'd met on the airship had left her alone when they landed. However, even as she watched the headmaster turn towards the great doors, the man emerged from the crowd to walk alongside him, striking up a conversation. She nearly scowled.<p>

_Damn. He's too old to be a student…wait, maybe he's a senior?_ She observed how easily he carried himself while speaking with the headmaster, _No, he's too comfortable in the conversation. He's got to be a teacher of some sort_, she nearly cursed under her breath, _He might have taken interest in you, but you're being stupid._ _He can't be so interested that he'd actually mess with you at all. He's got a bunch of other students and a job to do. You're safe._

She followed the crowd as they made their way into the building, following the headmaster and the man who had already vexed her.

A large number of the students, upperclassmen, broke off to go on their way without the freshmen. A few called back encouragements and greetings; others, crude warnings. A few of the freshmen looked a bit perturbed by this. The others, like Ari, ignored them. The red haired girl simply followed the crowd, lugging her bags along with no discernable effort.

The students were led into a large main room. Tables and benches had been stacked to the sides of the room and replaced with cots, lined neatly along the floor. The headmaster walked to the center of the room and turned, waiting for everyone to gather. When the last student had entered the room, he smiled and addressed them again.

"Gentlemen to the left, ladies to the right, and as your elementary school teachers would say, 'no purpling'. Mr. Knightroad and a few of the other staff members, who will be arriving shortly, will be presiding over you tonight. The initiation challenge is tomorrow, so get your rest students. Now, since I do not doubt that you are eager to settle in, I bid you goodnight."

With that same smile, the headmaster left the room. Mr. Knightroad, the dark haired man who had vexed Ari, took his place. He gave a brief announcement about the locations of the restrooms, where the students could change into sleepwear. Then, he reiterated what the headmaster had said about the students needing rest.\

* * *

><p>Jax frowned lightly, glancing at the clock that hung above the door.<p>

_It's only eight thirty…just how hard is this initiation if they're actually putting us to bed early?_

After a moment of contemplation, she shrugged. She was never averse to sleep anyway. Even having napped aboard the airship, something about being contained on an enclosed, flying, metal ship with so many other people was exhausting. She shrugged, dropping her bags and weapon next to a cot, across the 'no man's land' from Xanthus. She felt a bit better being closer to someone she knew, even if she did not know them well.

As Jax extracted some sleepwear from her bag, she looked about the room. She saw a redhead girl at the far end of the room, as far from everyone else as she could be. The girl's face was frighteningly cold, her eyes almost cruel. Jax had seen similar expressions in the slums. It was the face of someone who was unforgiving and had a reason for being that way. The faunus made a mental note to avoid her. It was better to avoid her altogether rather than risk her wrath. She turned her head to look the other way and found another girl at the cot next to her. This one had rather plain brown hair and was carefully avoiding the eyes of everyone around her. Her luggage had been stacked at the end of her cot. Jax quirked one purple brow. Judging from the amount of luggage and the girl's state of dress, she came from a higher class, which Jax could not help but feel prejudice against. Still, like the redhead, she was…memorable.

Leaving her cot, Jax made her way to the bathroom to change. Inside, she found a number of other girls who had obviously decided to try and change before the bathroom became too crowded. Among them, three faces stuck out to Jax. One was a girl who appeared human in every way except for the blatantly feathery appearance of her black hair. The pale green of her eyes was also rather odd for a human. She was some sort of bird Faunus, Jax guessed. As she neared, her sharp nose picked up on the nonhuman scent, affirming this. At the bird faunus's side was another female faunus. This one had coppery hair and amber eyes that flickered about, catching everything. A pair of fox ears perched on her head, twitching and swiveling as she picked up on the chatter about her. While the bird faunus watched those around her with a slightly amused expression, the fox faunus seemed much calmer. Jax passed them, briefly meeting their eyes. The green pair flickered to the wolf ears on top of her head while the amber simply glanced at her and then away, disinterested.

The third face that stuck out to Jax was the one at the far end of the bathroom. As the purple haired girl entered the stall she had selected, she saw a human young woman with blonde hair and brown eyes. She was chatting amiably with another student, smiling kindly. Her day clothes were held easily under one arm, her night clothes covering a tall and surprisingly strong figure. She did not appear to be anything special, however, she was noticeable in the same way that the red haired girl, the rich girl, and the two faunus did. They were memorable for some reason, sticking out from the other students. Perhaps it was their bearing. So far, Jax hadn't seen anyone else hold themselves with such surety. Even the brown haired girl who had avoided everyone's eyes had carried herself well.

Jax shrugged, mentally filing away their faces in her visual memory and changing into a pair of old sweatpants and a shirt that didn't quite cover her midriff. Then, carrying her day clothes, she emerged from the stall. As she exited, the red haired girl from earlier, passed her to take it. Their eyes met momentarily. The redhead's were icy blue, cold and angry. Jax's more animalistic instincts caused her to register a threat, fight or flight kicking in. Then, the red haired girl was dismissing her and entering the stall. Jax kept walking, suppressing a shudder. That girl felt dark. Dark enough that it had worried her.

She made her way back to her cot a little more quickly than was necessary and burrowed under the blankets.


End file.
